The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon as Zeke stepped away from the training ground. The resistance suit now lay discarded on the ground beside him. Zeke could feel the cold morning air biting at his skin as he made his way over to where Viola and Sophia were standing. The two girls were watching him with a sense of admiration.

He had been training with the suit for three days now. Each session seemed to have brought visible improvements to his body. As he approached them, he couldn't help but notice how much colder it had become during the past week. The end of the year was not too far away, and with it came the tournament. This competition would determine the ranking among the academy's first-year students.

"You're getting better every day, Zeke," Viola said with a smile, her long silver hair blowing in the wind. "You're going to do great in the tournament if you can keep this up."

Sophia, on the other hand, behaved as expected of a proud daughter of the Geistreich family. She merely nodded in agreement with a serene smile on her face. As usual, she was exhibiting the etiquette expected of high nobility.

There were only three more weeks before the start of the tournament, and the holidays would follow right after. The time pressure made Zeke aware that he had to push himself harder than ever before.

"So, what are your plans for the day?" Viola asked Zeke as they walked through the courtyard.

"I'm going to accompany Markus to the blacksmithing competition today. He has been looking forward to it for weeks. After that, I'm going to start working on my secret birthday present for him," Zeke replied with a smile.

Viola and Sophia both perked up at this. "What are you getting him?" they asked in unison, their curiosity piqued.

"Didn't I just say? It's a secret," Zeke said with a grin, refusing to give away any more information.

Changing the subject, Zeke turned to Sophia. "Speaking of secrets, Sophia, do you have some time for me in the next few days? I had some questions about Mind Magic that I was hoping you could help me with."

Sophia's expression grew troubled at this request. "I... I'm not sure if that's a good idea," she said hesitantly.

Zeke noticed the expression on Sophia's face and immediately went to reassure her. "Don't misunderstand. I don't want you to teach me any of the Geistreich's secret spells. I have some theoretical questions about how Mind Magic works in general." Sophia seemed to relax at that and nodded readily at his request now. After a short back and forth, the two of them promised to meet up in two days from now.

Viola looked from Zeke to Sophia, unhappy at being excluded. After a moment of thought, she flew in front of Zeke and puffed out her notable chest. "I also have a surprise for you!" she said in a proud voice.

Zeke looked at her with expectant eyes. Viola's smile grew even wider at this interest. Finally, she revealed her surprise. "I found a mage in my family who meets your specifications," she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Zeke felt a sense of anticipation at this news. He had been searching for someone who could help him with his dilemma for a long time. The thought of finally finding someone who met his requirements was making him giddy.

"Really?" he asked, his voice filled with excitement.

"Really," Viola confirmed, her smile growing even wider. "I can introduce you to him tomorrow if you want."

Zeke was grateful for having someone like Viola in his life, she was always so eager to help him out. Now she had even found a mage that might be able to help him with his new obsession. He couldn't wait to meet this person and find out if his plan would come to fruition.

Zeke parted ways with Viola and Sophia after changing into his best set of clothes. He was on his way to pick up Markus for the smithing competition. He wanted to surprise his friend with the VIP tickets Maximilian had gotten for them. As Zeke walked through the academy grounds, he could feel the stares of people on him. The attention didn't bother him anymore, he had long since grown accustomed to it. Despite the fact that his relationship with most of the first-year students had improved, the change didn't extend to the higher grades.

He could see the sneers and stares from the second-year students, and the third years were even worse. They were the ones who bullied him the most when he first arrived at the academy. But Zeke had learned to ignore them. He had come too far to let their petty jealousy and misguided hatred get to him.

Zeke made his way across the academy and through the crowded streets of the capital. He couldn't help but notice that there were more criers in the streets than usual. It was the first time he had seen them so candidly recruiting soldiers for the war effort in the capital. Zeke had heard that the military would usually recruit people from the outer provinces, and leave the capital alone. The capital was home to many influential families. Therefore, most talented individuals who called the capital their home had connections to one noble house or the other. It was a telling sign that the army didn't care about any political ramifications. They were even recruiting near the Elementium academy.

Zeke couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he walked past the criers. War had long since become the usual state of the empire. The continental powerhouse was always trying to conquer something, always expanding its border. It just never had felt this close to Zeke.

As Zeke passed the recruitment stand, he scanned the faces of the gathered men. He could see determination and also fear in the eyes of the young men who were signing up to fight. Idly, he wondered if Markus would be recruited. Zeke was aware that his friend was a skilled blacksmith and that the army always needed good smiths.

The boy made his way to Markus's workshop, trying to push these thoughts to the back of his mind. He had a competition to attend and a birthday present to prepare! Zeke stepped up to the back entrance to the smithy and knocked. A moment later, Markus opened it with a smile and exclaimed, "Zeke! You're early! I'm not ready yet."

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"Don't worry about it, I came early, so you still have time," Zeke reassured his friend and entered the house. Markus let his friend in and went upstairs to change into his good clothes. Zeke didn't mind the wait and walked through the shop to admire the weapons on display. Markus and his uncle were truly gifted blacksmiths. If they had a high-ranking Metal Mage in the family, they could have been among the best in the capital. Unfortunately, they hailed from a family of commoners. Even though Markus had turned out to have a magic core, it would be years before he could advance to a True Mage. Even then, it would take longer still until he could start using his magic in his crafting for real.

Zeke picked up a finely crafted sword and examined it closely. He could see the intricate details and the precision of the workmanship. He recognized Markus's craftsmanship in the way the hilt was shaped. Markus had evidently put a lot of effort into creating the sword, and he was sure it would be sold in a few days at the latest.

As Zeke looked through the weapons on display, his thoughts drifted to his own staff. Markus had crafted the weapon for him as a birthday present. Zeke had used it every day in combat class since, and he enjoyed the hefty weight of the weapon. Nonetheless, he knew that he would be using it less and less in the future, as he came to rely more on his magic. He felt a twinge of regret when he thought about the effort and love Markus must have poured into the beautifully crafted staff. He recalled the elaborate craftsmanship of his weapon. The shaft seamlessly transformed into an artistically designed dragon's head. He had often spent minutes staring at his weapon in silence while recovering after a spar. Markus truly had a way with metal that couldn't be called anything but a gift.

Zeke picked up a sword and felt its weight in his hand. It was a good weapon, but it didn't have the same feeling as his staff. It didn't have the same personal touch that Markus had put into it. As Markus descended the stairs, Zeke put the sword back and turned to his friend. "This is amazing, Markus. You and your uncle are masterful blacksmiths."

Markus casually brushed off the compliment. "There's still so much to learn and improve upon." He said, "every time I look at one of my older weapons, I can't help but cringe at the mistakes I made."

Zeke chuckled and asked, "That is the mark of a future expert blacksmith, no? Will we see you on stage next year?" Markus confidently nodded. "Absolutely, I'll show those old-timers who the true master of the craft is."

Zeke was surprised by his friend's bold assertion. He couldn't help but smile from appearing on his face at the thought of Markus's strong determination. The two of them locked eyes, and a moment of silence passed before they both burst into laughter.

Markus clapped Zeke on the shoulder and said, "Come on, we don't want to be late. I don't want to waste the tickets you got me." With that, the two friends set off to the blacksmithing competition. Zeke was also excited to see what the best smiths in the capital had to offer.

As Zeke and Markus made their way through the bustling city, they chatted and laughed. The excitement for the upcoming blacksmithing competition built within them. When the giant stadium finally came into view, both of them stopped in their tracks, staring in awe.

"Have you ever been in there before?" Markus asked his friend.

Zeke shook his head, taking in the majestic sight before him. The stadium was a giant colosseum-style amphitheater. It was being used for both martial and civil contests. At this moment, people were streaming into the building from all sides. The sight reminded Zeke of a swarm of ants returning to their nest.

For a moment, Zeke worried about how they would make their way through the crowd. Then he remembered that he had VIP tickets for the best seats, thanks to his mentor, Maximilian.

With newfound confidence, Zeke approached a formal-looking attendant. The man was seemingly only responsible for guiding nobles to their seats. Zeke could sense the man's skepticism after the latter had taken in his appearance. Zeke's striking features and crimson hair, could not hide the fact that the clothes he was wearing were of common make.

The attendant, however, spoke respectfully as he addressed Zeke. "How can I assist the young sirs today?" Zeke was taken aback by the formality in the man's speech and quickly waved it off. "No need to be so formal with us, we just need help finding our seats."

The attendant swallowed his instinctual reaction. He clearly wanted to inform Zeke that this service was only reserved for nobles. But the man's expression changed dramatically the moment he saw the golden tickets in Zeke's hand. His eyes bulged out, making the sharply dressed attendant look almost comical. Zeke couldn't blame the man, though. These tickets were highly coveted, even by the nobility. They were the limited edition backstage tickets! Only a few dozen had been sold due to the exorbitant cost. The holder was allowed to freely walk around the stage as the blacksmiths worked.

The man immediately snapped to attention and started shoving people out of the way. He guided Zeke and Markus through a private hallway into the room reserved for VIPs. Zeke took in his surroundings. The gaudy display of wealth all around them told him that they were now in the company of nobles. Neither of them was interested in socializing that was going on between the nobles at the moment. The two boys made their way to a corner to talk among themselves. Markus informed Zeke on what to expect from the competition. Zeke was trying to hear the explanation, but he got distracted by an intense glare coming from somewhere. Annoyed, he turned to look for the source of this uncomfortable feeling. He managed to trace it back to a group of young Fire Mages looking in their direction. Among them, he recognized the man standing in the middle, Alexander Feuerkranz.

The young man was dressed in the most luxurious red robes Zeke had ever seen. Despite his luxurious attire, Alexander didn't seem happy, as he was sending venomous glares in his direction. Zeke was reminded of how the boy had done the exact same thing to Miranda Wellenrufer on the day of the evaluation. The thought made him chuckle. His amusement seemed to enrage the Fire Mage even further. Luckily, the uncomfortable eye contact couldn't go on forever. After another moment and with one last penetrating stare, Alexander turned away.

"I think you should try to avoid provoking that guy any further," Markus commented from the side, not having missed the short exchange.

"That wasn't even my intention, but what does it matter anyway. I don't think that guy could dislike me any more than he already does," Zeke replied nonchalantly.

Markus didn't seem convinced and stated. "Maybe, but if he started his fourth year by the time we had our evaluation, then that would mean he is almost done."

Zeke didn't know where Markus was going with this and asked, "So?"

Markus explained, "If he has plans to make a move against you, then now would be his last chance, right? I can't imagine that the heir to the glorious Feuerkranz family is not going to join the war after graduating. So he's only in the capital for a little over a month still."

Zeke's expression turned serious as he considered Markus' words. But before he could think any further on this, a sudden announcement boomed through the hall, causing the crowd to fall silent.

"The competition will start in a couple of minutes. All holders of VIP tickets are free to enter the competition grounds now. You are allowed to move freely among the competitors. Please make sure not to disturb the artisans, though," the voice commanded.

Zeke and Markus exchanged excited looks and, with a sense of eager anticipation, made their way toward the competition grounds.